Paramedics tell 680 News the man was rushed to a trauma centre following a shooting at Jane Street and Gordon MacKay Road, just south of Highway 401.

Police say the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. Friday night but have few details as to what sparked the shooting.

No word yet on any suspects.

]]>http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/man-20s-seriously-injured-north-york-shooting/feed/0If you build it: ‘Field of Dreams’ baseball complex gets go aheadhttp://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/build-field-dreams-baseball-complex-gets-go-ahead/
http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/build-field-dreams-baseball-complex-gets-go-ahead/#respondSat, 10 Dec 2016 01:59:05 +0000http://www.citynews.ca/?p=1506159The Iowa Supreme Court seems to agree with Kevin Costner that there’s no better place to play baseball than on fields cut out of the corn.

The court on Friday cleared the way for a 24-field baseball complex at the “Field of Dreams” movie site in Dyersville, upholding a lower court’s decision that the City Council properly rezoned the property from agricultural to commercial.

The ruling came on an appeal by some Dyersville residents who sought to block the development of the All-Star Ballpark Heaven youth baseball and softball complex, fearing the complex would cause disruptions to surrounding farm operations and traffic, among other things.

The complex is to be centred on the site were “Field of Dreams,” starring Costner, was shot. The movie was released in 1989 and has been embraced by people from throughout the country, who connected with its story of a farmer who carved a baseball field out of his corn crop. Thousands of people make the drive down to the small town about 140 miles northeast of Des Moines to run the bases at the baseball diamond and walk out to the cornfields that border the outfield.

An attorney for the residents, Susan Hess, had argued for the courts to overturn the rezoning, saying members of the City Council weren’t impartial and acted in a quasi-judicial manner rather than legislative in approving the rezoning.

The Iowa Supreme Court relied on its rulings in previous cases to side with the City Council, saying the council’s rezoning decision did not weigh the legal rights of one party versus the other.

“The council weighed all of the information, reports, and comments available to it in order to determine whether rezoning was in the best interest of the city as a whole,” Justice Bruce Zager wrote.

An attorney for the city, Doug Henry, said the Iowa Supreme Court ruling settles the matter and clears any hurdles to building the baseball complex.

Hess did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

]]>http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/build-field-dreams-baseball-complex-gets-go-ahead/feed/0A selection of quotes following first ministers meeting on climate changehttp://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/a-selection-of-quotes-following-first-ministers-meeting-on-climate-change/
http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/a-selection-of-quotes-following-first-ministers-meeting-on-climate-change/#respondSat, 10 Dec 2016 01:34:42 +0000http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/a-selection-of-quotes-following-first-ministers-meeting-on-climate-change/OTTAWA – First ministers emerged from a day-long summit Friday hailing a pan-Canadian agreement on climate change. Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall flatly refused to sign on while Manitoba’s Brian Pallister withheld his signature to protest the lack of a deal on health care funding.

Here’s a selection of what was said after the meeting ended, including from a compelling back-and-forth between Wall and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau:

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“I’m very happy to share with you the results of many months of hard work: the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change, an ambitious and achievable framework to address climate change and grow the clean economy for our children and grandchildren.” — Trudeau.

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“Our goal is to have Canada powered by 90 per cent clean energy by 2030. That’s a goal we can achieve through the phase-out of coal-fired power, along with greater reliance on renewables like hydro, wind and solar power.” — Trudeau.

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“We have created a framework that meets each of our region’s unique needs while serving the entire country.” — Yukon Premier Sandy Silver, chair of the premiers.

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“We are arguably Canada’s greenest province … At the same time, we also, as is no secret, have some monumental challenges, in particular in the area of health care.” — Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister.

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“We want to build a partnership with our partners across the country on securing sustainable health care just as we are ambitious about sustainable environmental management.” — Pallister.

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“No one ought to mistake this for a lack of interest or will or desire to impact this issue but if it’s a carbon tax and it’s imposed federally, we’re not signing on.” — Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall.

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“The benchmark that we announced in October will continue to apply across the country, with $10 a tonne in 2018 rising to $50 a tonne by 2022, across 100 per cent of this country.” — Trudeau on imposing federal carbon tax on provinces that don’t impose their own.

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“I’m just saying, let’s not be naive as Canadians. (The United States) is our No. 1, not just trading partner but competitor for investments in energy, in you name it, and we need to be competitive with them.” — Wall on president-elect Donald Trump having no plans to tackle climate change.

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“I think all Canadians know that Canadian climate policy will be set by Canadians, not by whoever happens to be the president of the United States.” — Trudeau.

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“You can’t have a national carbon tax where the westerners who produce the energy are paying double what the people in central Canada are paying to use the energy, in terms of an additional carbon tax.” — B.C. Premier Christy Clark, earlier Friday before winning concessions.

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“There was an issue of fundamental fairness that we needed to see resolved in the agreement … We wouldn’t have been able to sign on without those changes.” — Clark.

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“In Ontario, for example, there’s already been a cost associated for Ontarians in reducing carbon emissions. We shut down our coal-fired plants and some of you may have heard about our electricity prices in Ontario … It’s a bit of a red herring to just compare the price on the carbon emissions. We need to look at all of the cost associated and all of the things that jurisdictions are doing to come up with those equivalencies.” — Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.

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“Once again Canada lets the slowest province set the pace on climate change, which is exactly what today was supposed to fix. More than ever the moment calls for bold leadership, but we continue to bow to the lowest common denominator.” — Peter McCartney of the environmental group Wilderness Committee on the fact B.C. will be able to resist increasing its own carbon tax, depending on where other provinces stand.

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“Canada is performing some serious mental gymnastics, pretending it’s a climate leader while dramatically ramping up the tar sands. We’re headed for a brick wall but we’ve got our foot on both the gas and the brake.” — McCartney.

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“This is a big deal; Canada finally has a climate change framework that has broad buy-in from provinces. Whether it’s coal-fired power, homes and buildings, or personal vehicles, the plan puts Canada on the path to phasing out fossil fuels over time and replacing them with clean, renewable energy.” — Dale Marshall of Environmental Defence.

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]]>http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/a-selection-of-quotes-following-first-ministers-meeting-on-climate-change/feed/0PM boasts of climate change deal, but without Saskatchewan, Manitobahttp://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/pm-boasts-climate-change-deal-without-saskatchewan-manitoba/
http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/pm-boasts-climate-change-deal-without-saskatchewan-manitoba/#respondSat, 10 Dec 2016 01:26:12 +0000http://www.citynews.ca/?p=1506149Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared victory Friday in his campaign to craft a national “framework” agreement on climate change – even though Saskatchewan and Manitoba refused to sign on to the deal.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall’s full-throated opposition to the plan, which includes imposing a price on carbon, was fully expected going into today’s day-long first ministers meeting.

But surprise resistance from British Columbia’s Christy Clark and Manitoba’s Brian Pallister threatened throughout the day to upset Trudeau’s hopes for a triumphant finale to a year of federal-provincial climate negotiations.

Pallister, who has been pressing the federal government for concessions on health care funding, appeared to withhold his support solely for the purpose of extracting additional help from Ottawa in dealing with escalating health costs.

“As they rise, through demographic realities, we have to face that as team members and partners, as we have demonstrated we can do today,” Pallister told a group news conference late Friday.

“I have an obligation, because that’s the first concern of the people of my province, to raise the issue, and I will continue to raise the issue.”

The sticking point for Wall and Clark was Trudeau’s plan to set a national price on carbon – starting at $10 a tonne in 2018 and rising to $50 a tonne by 2022 – and impose it on provinces that do not implement their own carbon pricing plan.

Wall is ideologically opposed to the idea of a carbon tax; B.C. already has a carbon tax but Clark wanted – and got – assurances that Ontario and Quebec’s cap-and-trade carbon market would impose an equivalent carbon price.

“If there is a prima facie case for jobs to potentially be threatened in trade-exposed industries – and that’s what we have, in carbon-intense industries – then I am going to defend the interests of the province,” Wall said.

“We will be participants in the battle on climate change … no one ought mistake this for a lack of interest or will or desire to impact this issue. But if it’s a carbon tax and it’s imposed federally, we’re not signing on.”

At that point, Trudeau jumped in – seemingly to remind Wall and others that he wasn’t the only provincial leader being asked to make concessions.

“What animated all of us today – every single one of us on this stage – is a desire to do the right thing for our kids and grandkids, a desire to make sure that we have a protected environment for the future, and that we have good, clean jobs in the future,” the prime minister said.

“Every single person on this stage fought hard for their region, for their jurisdiction, for the region that they serve, as did I fight hard for Canadians, and we came together with a historic agreement, and that’s the thing that we really do need to focus on.”

As the talks appeared to be winding down Friday, a deal looked unlikely.

Clark emerged from the meeting to publicly kneecap the prime minister’s signature climate plan, but within minutes of her remarks, word began to emerge of a compromise.

Trudeau had initially and unilaterally imposed an escalating floor price on carbon dioxide emissions, starting at $10 in 2018 and topping out at $50 in 2022, when the policy would be reassessed.

Under the compromise deal, the carbon price would pause at B.C.’s existing $30 level in 2020, when an independent expert panel will look at how the plan is evolving.

It was a sudden and surprising about-face from Clark, who less than an hour earlier had was telling reporters that the talks were grinding along slowly, that the matter was hard slogging and that an agreement appeared a long way off.

Indeed, before talks even began, it was Clark herself who shoved a hockey stick in the Liberal spokes, citing the unresolved matter of comparing Quebec and Ontario’s cap-and-trade carbon market to a national floor price proposed for other provinces.

“It’s got to be a fair deal. And you have to have one price for all Canadians if it’s going to be a national price,” Clark – who faces the B.C. electorate in a May election – said earlier in the day.

Wall had already flatly stated he wouldn’t sign the proffered agreement and Clark was suggesting it might be prudent to “set aside clauses.”

Trudeau had already set the table when he opened the morning session with premiers, indigenous leaders and U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden by asserting, “We should not waver” in the fight against climate change.

Biden, just weeks away from the end of the Obama administration and the ascendency of Donald Trump’s Republicans, gave a rallying speech of sorts before departing the meeting.

“We’re always stronger when we’re working together,” said Biden.

But the promised show of pan-Canadian unity on climate policy was showing strains as the meeting began.

Wall said Ottawa has failed to provide an economic analysis of the biggest tax change in a generation, which he asserts will hammer Saskatchewan jobs and industry.

He brandished a heavily redacted Finance Department memo – obtained by a media outlet through an access-to-information request – that says a carbon tax would “cascade throughout the economy and prices would increase most for goods that make intensive use of carbon-based energy.”

And he made common cause with Clark, saying the federal plan will result in a competitive “imbalance” given emitters in central Canada, where cap-and-trade will mitigate emissions, face a lower carbon price than in western Canada.

Quebec’s carbon market is currently trading permits for about $8 per tonne, with a forecast the price will rise to $16 per tonne once Ontario’s market is fully up and running with Quebec and California in the Western Climate Initiative.

Paul Boothe, an economics professor at the Ivey Business School and member of the non-partisan Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission, said there’s no reason provinces must have identical tax rates, pointing to differing provincial sales and income taxes across Canada.

“I think this fairness discussion is a bit of a red herring,” Boothe, a former deputy finance minister in Saskatchewan, said in a telephone interview.

“What we’re trying to do is meet our (emissions) target at the lowest possible cost, not the highest cost.”

Ideally, B.C. and Alberta companies should be free to buy carbon credits from other jurisdictions instead of paying the carbon tax, which would ensure emissions reductions are achieved at the lowest price available.

Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa said in a statement Friday that Bedrock’s proposal would mean that operations at the Hamilton and Lake Erie facilities would continue and 2,100 jobs would be preserved.

Sousa said it also means that retirees in Stelco’s four main pension plans would continue to receive their benefits without interruption or reductions, and continue to receive post-employment benefits.

In addition, the minister’s statement says the proposal would ensure that Ontario receives financial assurance to cover costs that may be incurred in connection with environmental conditions on the land.

Sousa said this would open the door to development of the industrial lands in a manner that protects the environment as well as benefits the Stelco retirees through the creation of a land trust, governed by the retirees.

To help facilitate the restructuring of Stelco, Sousa says Ontario will provide financial support of up to $76 million in fully secured loans and various forms of regulatory relief.

“Ontario welcomes this latest development in the effort to restructure Stelco as an important step toward saving 2,100 local jobs, protecting pensions and supporting economic development in the Hamilton region while ensuring environmental protection,” Sousa said in a statement Friday night.

Sousa said the Bedrock proposal is now being brought before the court to seek approval to move forward and finalize the terms.

“We are encouraged that the proposed agreement and plan filed in court today provides a solid foundation that would help facilitate the restructuring of Stelco,” he said.

U.S. Steel announced last month that it had a preliminary agreement to sell the business as a going concern to Bedrock Industries. The company’s website says Bedrock is a privately funded holding company focused on owning and operating metals, mining and natural resources assets.

An Ontario Ministry of Finance release says Bedrock has agreed to continue steel operations and ensure that the approximately 2,100 existing jobs continue at Stelco’s Hamilton and Lake Erie facilities.

The release says the transaction ensures that Stelco’s four main pension plans — which it said are underfunded and would otherwise face wind-up at reduced benefits levels — remain in place, providing benefits for service accrued prior to the transaction.

]]>http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/ontario-steelmaker-stelco-seeks-court-ok-for-moving-ahead-with-restructuring/feed/0Family of murdered Toronto doctor raise awareness for charity that helps women in crisishttp://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/family-murdered-toronto-doctor-raise-awareness-charity-helps-women-crisis/
http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/family-murdered-toronto-doctor-raise-awareness-charity-helps-women-crisis/#respondSat, 10 Dec 2016 00:40:43 +0000http://www.citynews.ca/?p=1506127The family of a Toronto doctor murdered last week is using the tragic incident to raise funds and awareness for a charity that helps women in crisis.

Dr. Elana Fric’s body was found strangled and beaten last Thursday; her husband, neurologist Mohammed Shamji has been charged with first degree murder.

Fric’s family issued a statement on Friday, expressing gratitude for an outpouring of support, and asking those looking to honour her memory to donate to The Shelter Movers — an organization that offers free moving services to women fleeing abusive homes.

“We’re humbled by that,” says Marc Hull-Jacquin, the group’s Executive Director. “Without knowing Dr. Fric or her family, I think it’s a demonstration of their understanding that abuse is a topic that affects us all.”

“What conditions do we make that force women to stay in abusive relationships?” asks Farrah Khan, Ryerson’s sexual violence and education coordinator. “The majority of survivors will tell someone, a neighbour, friend or family. They won’t tell a counselor. ”

That’s why she says it’s important for loved ones to create a safe environment to support women who want to leave abusive situations, noting that fear and stigma can often be the biggest barriers to getting help.

“I think the biggest thing to say to someone when someone discloses to them that they are being abused in the home is, ‘I believe you, it’s not your fault, and I’m going to help you get help.’ ”

She says help can come in many forms, from babysitting children while survivors get professional counselling, offering to keep clothing or valuables in your home when she’s ready to leave, or creating a cover story to keep abusive partners from knowing her whereabouts.

“Also, confidentiality,” says Khan. “I will not tell your partner that you are leaving. I’m not going to force you into mediation and say ‘Oh, it’s just a family conflict.’ ”

She also advises woman planning to leave abusive situations to create a separate bank account, pointing out that even those from affluent families may not have the financial means to get out.

“Financial abuse happens in all sorts of relationships. It can happen when you’re wealthy, poor. It can be people withholding money or taking money from you, saying ‘your pay check belongs to me.’ “

]]>http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/family-murdered-toronto-doctor-raise-awareness-charity-helps-women-crisis/feed/0Widower loses treasured jewelry in distraction thefthttp://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/widower-loses-treasured-jewelry-distraction-theft/
http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/widower-loses-treasured-jewelry-distraction-theft/#respondSat, 10 Dec 2016 00:22:11 +0000http://www.citynews.ca/?p=1506045The family of an 86-year-old Toronto man is devastated after a necklace with rings belonging to his deceased wife was stolen in a distraction theft.

Earlier this week, Angelo Grenci was driving on Samba Drive, near Sheppard Avenue West and Weston Road, when a man and woman stopped him to ask for directions.

Grenci said he told them how to get to Highway 401 and they seemed grateful.

In fact, the man offered Grenci two rings and placed a chain around his neck for his kindness. What Grenci didn’t realize was the man was stealing a necklace with his wife’s wedding ring and 25th anniversary ring at the same time.

“He was so happy because he thought he had met such great people and all he had to do was direct them to the highway — but instead they ended up robbing him,” Grenci’s daughter Rita Grenci said

“It’s really sad because we lost my mom a year ago, and not only do we have to go through a Christmas without her, but now [also] the loss of her rings.”

Toronto police Const. Mark McCabe told CityNews these thefts aren’t new and it happens across the country.

“It happens for a few weeks and then a few months, then it will die off and then it will happen again,” he said.

McCabe said 41 Division has launched a program to alert seniors to distraction thefts.

Over the next few weeks, a team of police fraud experts will visit retirement homes in Toronto, explaining distraction theft and how people can protect themselves.

]]>http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/widower-loses-treasured-jewelry-distraction-theft/feed/0MP starts petition in support of private member’s bill named after dead Mountiehttp://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/mp-starts-petition-in-support-of-private-members-bill-named-after-dead-mountie/
http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/mp-starts-petition-in-support-of-private-members-bill-named-after-dead-mountie/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 22:45:01 +0000http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/mp-starts-petition-in-support-of-private-members-bill-named-after-dead-mountie/ST. ALBERT, Alta. – An Alberta MP says he’ll continue to push his private member’s bill named after an RCMP officer who was shot and killed almost two years ago.

Conservative Michael Cooper is trying to get the House of Commons to pass legislation that would be known as Wynn’s Law.

Const. David Wynn was slain outside a casino in St. Albert, Alta., in January 2015 while investigating a stolen vehicle.

His killer, a career criminal with dozens of convictions, was out on bail at the time.

Cooper’s bill would require the Crown to disclose an accused’s criminal history at a bail hearing to give courts more information on which to base a decision.

The federal Liberals indicated again this week that they will not support Wynn’s Law, so Cooper has launched an online petition to gather support for a vote in February.

Wynn’s widow, Shelly, said the law would be important to her husband.

“Even if it’s just one family that doesn’t have to go through this, it’s worth it,” Wynn said Friday. “I will fight a lifetime for this to pass if I have to.”

TRUDEAU HAILS CLIMATE PLAN: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is claiming victory in his campaign to craft a national “framework” agreement on climate change — even though Saskatchewan and Manitoba remains provincial holdouts. Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall’s full-throated opposition to the plan, which includes imposing a price on carbon, was fully expected going into Friday’s day-long first ministers meeting. But surprise resistance from British Columbia’s Christy Clark and Manitoba’s Brian Pallister threatened throughout the day to upset Trudeau’s hopes for a triumphant finale to a year of federal-provincial climate negotiations. A last-minute addition to the agreement appeared to bring Clark on side, with Wall the only premier not on board. Pallister also did not sign but left the door open to signing later on.

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INDIGENOUS LEADERS SHOULD BE AT 1ST MINISTERS MEETINGS, SAYS FIRST NATIONS LEADER: The head of the Assembly of First Nations says Canada needs to change the Constitution to ensure indigenous leaders can be in the room when the prime minister meets with the premiers. Indigenous leaders were invited to Friday’s meeting with the premiers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden, but they were frustrated at being excluded from the afternoon session on climate change. Perry Bellgarde says Aboriginal Peoples and their traditional way of life suffer some of the worst effects of climate change and they should be fully involved in decisions on what to do about it. Bellgarde says the Constitution does not recognize First Nations, Metis and Inuit leaders as representatives from an order of government and says until that changes Aboriginal Peoples will always be excluded.

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BIDEN SAYS REALITY WILL PROPEL GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION: U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden says the world is heading toward greenhouse gas reduction, even if the incoming administration of Donald Trump isn’t making it a priority. Biden was in Ottawa to speak to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the premiers. He said whatever uncertainty exists around Trump’s environmental policies, he’s confident the United States will continue making progress toward a low-carbon future.

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JOHN GLENN’S BODY TO LIE IN STATE: U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered that U.S. flags on all public buildings and military posts be flown at half-staff as a “mark of respect for the memory” of retired astronaut John Glenn. Glenn died Thursday at a Columbus, Ohio, hospital at age 95. Burial is being planned for Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington. Glenn also served as a Marine combat pilot and he represented Ohio in the U.S. senate for more than two decades.

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SHIPBUILDING PROGRAM FACES MORE SETBACKS: Federal government documents are pointing to more delays in the construction of the navy’s new supply ships and the Canadian Coast Guard’s highly anticipated polar icebreaker. The documents recently tabled in the House of Commons say the delays are expected to cost taxpayers as the navy and coast guard are forced to rely even more heavily on stop-gap measures to address their needs. A defence official blames the delay on “challenges associated with completing the detailed design and organizing the entire supply chain” for the delay in the supply ship schedule.

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SLAIN DOCTOR’S FAMILY GRATEFUL FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT: Family members of a doctor found strangled and beaten to death in a suitcase says they’re grateful for the public’s support that they’ve received. Dr Elana Fric-Shamji’s family is urging that donations in her honour be made to those fleeing abusive households. Elana’s husband, Dr. Mohammed Shamji, 40, was arrested on first-degree murder charges earlier this month.

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SEARS STARTS SELLING GROCERIES: Sears Canada is getting into the grocery business. The Toronto-based retailer, which has been struggling with store closures and sagging sales, has signed a partnership with two speciality supermarket operators to run food markets at some of its locations. Management is hoping it will bring customers to Sears more frequently.

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BRITISH COLUMBIANS GET BLAST OF WINTER: The normally mild weather of British Columbia’s south coast has been replaced by snow and cold weather. Earlier this week, Environment Canada anticipated a considerable amount of snow to hit the south coast starting Thursday evening, but the weather agency has since dialled back its forecast. It changed its prediction to between five and 10 centimetres of snow for the Lower Mainland and between 10 and 15 centimetres for southern Vancouver Island. Forecasters say Thursday night’s snow didn’t materialize until Friday morning. Vancouver Island has so far received the worst of old man winter, with 12 centimetres of snow in some areas.

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MAN SAYS HE FOUND MOUSE IN COFFEE: A man in Nova Scotia who says he pulled a dead mouse from a cup of Tim Hortons coffee is asking for an apology from the restaurant chain. Jim Elliott says he bought two take-out coffees two weeks ago from the outlet in Stewiacke, N.S., and later placed one of the unopened cups in his refrigerator so he could drink it later. Elliott says he reheated the cup in his microwave the next afternoon, and when he opened the plastic flap to take a sip, he felt something touch his lips. Reached Friday, the manager of the outlet referred all inquiries to Tim Hortons head office in Toronto, which did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

]]>http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/the-friday-news-briefing-an-at-a-glance-survey-of-some-top-stories-21/feed/0B.C. university given J.S. Woodsworth letters and photos spanning a centuryhttp://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/b-c-university-given-j-s-woodsworth-letters-and-photos-spanning-a-century/
http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/b-c-university-given-j-s-woodsworth-letters-and-photos-spanning-a-century/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 21:54:49 +0000http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/09/b-c-university-given-j-s-woodsworth-letters-and-photos-spanning-a-century/VANCOUVER – British Columbia’s Simon Fraser University has acquired a collection of letters, photos and manuscripts linked to one of the founding figures of Canada’s social reform movement.

The school’s library will house a collection from J.S. Woodsworth, a Winnipeg pastor who was co-founder and first leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, the precursor to the New Democratic Party.

Woodsworth was a mentor to Tommy Douglas, the father of universal health care.

Woodsworth’s grandson and his wife donated the 1,300 letters, 200 photographs, and 50 printed pamphlets and manuscripts to the university to preserve them and make them more accessible to researchers. The photographs include historical events, such as the Winnipeg General Strike in 1919.

“We’re honoured that the Woodsworth family has entrusted their rare and intimate collection of photographs and correspondence to us,” Melanie Hardbattle, acting head of the university’s library special collections and rare books, said in a news release. “J.S. Woodsworth had a significant role in shaping the Canada we know today and this collection provides insight into his personal life and the foundations of his political beliefs.”

The private collection is valued at $65,000.

Woodsworth was a Methodist minister who helped form the Manitoba Independent Labour Party. He was elected to the House of Commons in 1921 and five years later bargained his party’s two votes for a promise by prime minister Mackenzie King to enact an old-age pension plan.

He died in Vancouver in 1942 at age 67.

Glenn Woodsworth, Woodsworth’s grandson, and his wife Joy spent several years since 2006 transcribing, describing, and making digital copies of the material, the university said. Before that in the 1990s, 150 letters were transcribed by J.S. Woodsworth’s son, Ralph.

The unpublished letters were written between 1890 and 1990, but most of the letters are dated between 1906 and 1963. They discuss everything from political, socialist and humanitarian beliefs to domestic affairs in the Woodsworth house, the university said.

The core of the family archive was passed down from Lucy Woodsworth to her daughter Grace MacInnis, who organized the correspondence and referred to them while writing the biography “J.S. Woodsworth: A Man to Remember.” MacInnis added around 400 of her own letters to the collection and passed them down to Glenn and Joy Woodsworth with a provision that they not be examined until after her death.

Other collections of Woodsworth and MacInnis material are held at the National Library, the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto.